Floods in South Asia expose lack of monsoon planning

Govt action has been focused on relief, with weak warning systems and little focus on prevention

The most devastating floods to hit South Asia in a decade have killed more than 1,400 people and focused attention on the poor planning and lack of preparedness for annual monsoon rains, as authorities struggle to get aid to millions of destitute.

Floods in Texas have dominated world media coverage in recent days, but India, Nepal and Bangladesh have suffered flooding for two months, with hundreds of villages submerged and tens of thousands of people in relief camps short of food and vulnerable to disease.

Entire districts will take months to limp back to life, with schools destroyed, roads washed away and